Maktoum pays $6.9M for Ocean Silk

Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum, who paid a European record 3.4 million guineas (about $7.3 million) Monday for Satwa Queen, also purchased Tuesday's session topper, $6.9 million Ocean Silk, at the Tattersalls December mare sale in Newmarket, England.

Maktoum's representative John Ferguson outbid Coolmore associate Paul Shanahan, paying 3.2 million guineas for the Group 1-placed Dynaformer mare, who is in foal to Pivotal. Swettenham Stud was the consignor.

Maktoum, who bought European champion Manduro earlier this year, also sprang today for his dam, Mandellicht, carrying a full sibling to Manduro. He paid 3 million guineas, about $6.5 million, this time through Richard O'Gorman Bloodstock instead of Ferguson. Also selling for that price was Grade 1 winner Angara, in foal to Montjeu, whom Swettenham sold to London Thoroughbred Services, representing the Rothschild family.

Tuesday's session sold 179 horses for about $78,050,773, resulting in an average price of about $436,037 and a median of approximately $183,855. The gross of 36,084,500 guineas - the highest single-session gross in European auction history, Tattersalls said - rose 21 percent, average soared up by 49 percent, and median jumped 47 percent.

Ferguson made three other purchases for Maktoum, including the 1.4 million-guinea Galileo mare Galatee, a 4-year-old group winner in foal to Dalakhani. The price was the equivalent of about $3 million. Galatee was offered as part of Ennistown Stud's consignment.

The Tattersalls sale was to continue through Thursday.